Spence J David
Stroke Prevention & Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
Int J Stroke. 2008 May;3(2):92-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1747-4949.2008.00169.x.
A single pill containing a statin, thiazide diuretic, beta-blocker, angiotensin receptor antagonist, folate and ASA has been proposed for all people over age 55, with the aim of reducing cardiovascular disease by 80%. Unfortunately, there are insurmountable problems with choosing appropriate constituents of any such single remedy. Adverse effects, drug interactions, inter-individual variation in drug metabolism, and underlying causes of hypertension that differ between patients require individualized therapy. A single pill that will succeed in all patients is not only practically, but conceptually, an inappropriate approach for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
